VENICE (TIP): The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have traveled into space — and expectations were about as high ahead of their wedding in Venice on Friday.
One of the world’s most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check.
Star-studded guestlist and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavor? You bet.
And then, time to tie the knot. The couple held their wedding ceremony Friday night, and Sánchez posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world’s fourth-richest man.
It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city, which added complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land.
Dozens of private jets had flocked to Venice’s airport, and yachts pulled into the city’s famed waterways. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple’s love as to their extraordinary wealth.
The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall.
Not so for these nuptials, which became a lightning rod for small, colorful protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch hadn’t materialized as of Friday. Instead, the glitterati were partying, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala.
And the bride wore a classic mermaid-line gown, featuring Dolce & Gabbana’s signature Italian lace. A traditional tulle-and-lace veil completed her look.
“Not just a gown, a piece of poetry,” she wrote on Instagram, where her name now appears as Lauren Sánchez Bezos.
Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world’s most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service.
“It’s a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people,” said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. “There’s very tight control, especially on movement there with boats.” (AP)